


Crossed coded

by Jaycmore



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Implied Afterdeath, Origin Story, Reaper being salty about Error
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:21:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29442552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaycmore/pseuds/Jaycmore
Summary: What if Reaper was the first to meet Cross in the X-tale void?
Kudos: 10





	Crossed coded

There was a sudden dip in the multiverse's population. Something that generally happened when Error went on his destructive path. He hated when he had to do extra work like this. Could a god ask for a small nap break? Unfortunately, no, or the other gods will have his ass. He traveled to the empty multiverse. All white. Nothing. The damage was nothing he had ever seen. Usually, Error would leave multiverses a coded mess, there would be dust everywhere. 

Here there was nothing but white. His black robes stark to the environment. Even the souls were utterly gone, except for one … two-ish. 

He followed a purple trail to a crumbled form—this world's Sans. Reaper watched them in his invisible form, floating closer to hear the mumbles. The sans kept crying purple tears, mumbling apologies, and broken promises to a broken universe. It was a sad sight. Pathetic even. 

Reaper sees horrid Death every second. He usually stayed unfazed. Maybe it was the deathly (heh) silent void that affected him to feel pity, or perhaps because it reminded him of another skeleton trapped in a black void. 

It wasn't this his time yet. But maybe Asgore wouldn't mind one sad little soul. After all, what's one more to the thousands of lost souls from this au. As he raised his scythe, He was face to face with an apparition, Chara. 

Chara hissed, screaming for Cross's attention, to dodge. Welp, there's no point in being invisible then. Cross dodge with ease, his weapon ready for attack. 

"Who are you?" 

  
  


Reaper didn't really like talking during his reapings. Less conflict, less begging, no attachments. Instead, he brought down his weapon again. Cross dodge, jumping back and attacking with his own sword. 

Most souls don't fight this hard; it was always the Sans. Extra work on his part. Of course, another version would give himself a problem. 

It's been a while since he fought so hard like this. He can tell this Sans was a seasoned fighter. The way he dodged and instantly attacked at a weaker side. Reaper had fought with the god of war … this was nothing. 

Cross had slowed down a bit, distracted by Chara's bickering Reaper grabbed Cross's wrists, lifting him to face him. "All your suffering will end now." 

The other sans looked at him wide-eyed, trembling. Death's touch was a painless death, but for a monster, they can still feel the strange sensation of their very being slowly crumbling away. 

Sans looked scared like everyone did. He shook his head, denial very common. He started to beg, also common. The waterworks are next and the cursing. hen black liquid mixed with purple, the sans' eyes glow purple and red.

WE CAN'T DIE HERE. I/WE NEED TO STAY HERE. WE NEED TO SAVE OUT AU. 

The Sans was already partially dusted. Reaper just needed the soul to reap. But the soul refused … Sans purple eye flickered into a strange shape, he held Reaper tight. Reaper felt a sting in his body, then more pain, like it was being picked at one by one. He fell to the ground, struggling to sit up. What was this skeleton doing? Why wasn't he dusting?

He can hear Chara hissing at the over, saying something was going wrong, but the skeleton refused to listen. Was he dying? Was it possible for him to die? He weakly chuckled. Is this how it feels to die? It wasn't so bad; maybe he can finally take a break. 

The purple light was blinding, Reaper's body was weak… he gave into the light. 

\---------------------------- 

_Wake up. Wake up. I don't know what I did._

He woke up; everything was white and dusty. His body was sore, and his chest hurt. It felt like his soul was shattered into pieces. He rubbed his sternum, trying to soothe the pain, but then he noticed his robes weren't black, the complete opposite now, white. 

It made him uncomfortable.

His whole outfit changed. He felt a tad shorter. He summoned his scythe …. Sword, holy shit, he has a sword now. He doesn't know how this works, but in the reflection in the blade was a skeleton he didn't recognize. A red scar on his face matched a red eyelight, similar to the sans he was just fighting.

"Crap"

_Undo this right now_

Reaper jumped and turned at the voice, speaking of the other skeleton, there he was, as a ghost. This must be one of Life's pranks or, worse, a punishment for taking a life too soon. The ghost did not look happy; he pointed to where Reaper's soul was. 

**_UNDO IT NOW_ **

"Wh-what" The sans scoff, summoning Reapers soul. It wasn't the soul he knew. It was white with a hint of red and purple, cracks littered every inch. This was his soul. "What did you do to me?" He growled. 

_ME? You're the one who attacked me and stole my soul, asshole!_

"Get out of my body" He held his? Their? Soul close. 

_No, you dusted my body, and somehow my coding mixed with yours. Deal with it and Fix it._

Reaper has never met a more annoying asshole ghost in Life. How dare he demand stuff from him after what he did. Coding? Is this an au thing? He's not a damn faulty computer like Error. But This other skeleton was stuck in his soul. Would he die if the other was removed? 

"I guess it's a trip to Life's garden then," He sighed, dusting off his new robes. His new sets of legs were wobbly. How does he float again? This sucks.

_Life?_

"Yep. I'm Death, she's Life, she's gonna have a cow when she sees this" He paused and looked at his new companion. "By the way, where's your human friend, ghost?" 

My name is Cross The ghost scowled. And the human is not my friend, he disappeared when we combined. 

"Welp, I guess he bit the dust then."

Cross was unimpressed*

"how am I going back without my scythe" He lifted his new weapon in his hand. It was awkward, clunky and it made him look like an anime protagonist. He can hear Cross telling him off on his pose. "Don't you shut up." 

He wraps both of his hands around the handle, swinging it in hopes of opening a portal. It worked. He probably looked like an idea wielding such a weapon. But he can leave this hell hole. His legs still weak, he stumbled around like a newborn. 

_WAIT! What are you doing? I-I can't leave this place. I need to save my people!_

Reaper can feel a tug in his soul like Cross was trying to take control. "People? There is no one here. Nothing. There weren't even souls to reap. This au is gone for good" 

_NO. I NEED TO HELP THEM. I'M NOT GOING TO ABANDON THEM._

Cross was crying. He had purple tears running down his own face. "You're the last one. This multiverse is just a void. Soon Error will come and destroy this world, and it'll be just coding. Now we are leaving" Reaper struggled to make his way through the porta, more like falling through. 

At least Life's flowers cushioned the fall before they withered away. Well, at least that still works. "Death?" 

He groaned and looked up at the voice. A concerned life looking down. 

"Don't tell me you were expecting death to knock on your door today?" 

Usually, Life chuckled at that one but she didn't look happy. Maybe it was flowers. 

"What have you done?" 

"Listen if this about the flow-" 

Life gave him a look. "Heh, fine. Ya caught me red-handed. I might've changed my look a bit. You like it? I was going for the emo anime protagonist look." 

"You played with another's soul. I can feel them. Poor thing. When was Death so cruel." 

Reaper frowned. "For eons and eons. ...I was only ending his suffering." 

"That is not your job." 

"Wow, for the goddess of life, you sure are killing the mood." 

"Would you like my help, or are you going to stand there like a newborn cow. Let me examine your soul." Life scoffed and rolled her eyes.

Cross and Reaper did not like that. Reaper huffed and hesitantly summoned his soul. "Usually, I go on a date first before doing this" 

  
  
  


"Death! Your soul. This is horrible" Reaper can feel Life pouring healing magic into his soul. Attempting to heal the cracks. "It seems like the other soul, and your soul is combined into one. They are part of you. These cracks are bounded but strange magic I've never seen." 

Welp, he's screwed. If Life can't help him, no one can. He waved it off like nothing, summoning his soul back. "I'm used to annoying ghosts bickering at me in my domain. What's one more. Besides, I think he's taking a nap right now. He's been deathly quiet." 

He swears he heard Cross curse him out. Life gave him a worried look as he wobbled to his feet. "But this is different. You shouldn't be taking this lightly" Before Reaper can move, Life had tugged him along to her own place. "You stay here till I deem you healthy enough to venture off again. 

He blinked. "As much as I love your snail butterscotch pies, I have a job, and so do you." 

"And how are you to do your job when you can't wield a sword, you can't even float. You are going to be the death of me! Now lay down while I figure what to do next" Life shoved him in a room. He didn't need sleep, neither did Toriel. Why did she even have a bed? He shrugged. A nap can do no harm, right? 

\-------------------- 

He stayed with Life for a while, relearning how to do the simplest things like floating and summoning a weapon. Cross never reappeared when Life was around. It was also when it was the two of them. Always asking when he'll go back to the white void or critiquing the way he breathes. Reaper started to notice changes in his own behavior. His favorite thing in the world tasted so bitter. He wanted something sweeter. He prefers hot cocoa over coffee. 

A newfound fear of emptiness, of that void. 

His memories were starting to become hazy, mixed with the others. His brother dressed in robes would be dressed in white and black instead. Other times he would forget about them altogether. He would be struck with intense grief, mourning for the loss of their family. Life would catch them in a trance. She would call out their name. But …. Who were Reaper and Cross again? 

He didn't understand why Life looked down at him with such a sad face. He didn't understand many things, but Life told him she would help start a new life. She called him Dex. That's his name, right?

  
  



End file.
